KABUL (SW): Mohammad Omar Lalzad, head of the 20-bed hospital for addicts in Ghor province told Salam Watandar that overcrowding of the drug addicts has led them to put a large number of these patients in the waiting list for months.
He added that Ghor drug- addicts’ hospital has the capacity to treat only 5% of the drug addicts in this province.
According to him, the hospital receives 5 to 6 patients on daily basis, including children and women.
Lalzad also informed Salam Watandar that in addition to lack of beds for patients, the hospital also lacks recreational facilities for patients.
Sakhi Javid, a member of Ghor Provincial Council expressed concern over the increasing number of drug addicts in the province and said most of the drug addicts are not aware of the dangers of addictions due to lack of awareness programs.
Abdul Latif Rahimi, head of the Directorate of Health in Ghor province said the lack of employment opportunities for the treated drug-addicts has caused most of them to return to addiction after their initial treatment period.
Rahimi added that they have repeatedly shared the problem of the hospital with the central government, but to no avail.
According to officials of the Ghor addicts’ hospital, based on a survey which was conducted in 2005, more than 50,000 drug addicts lived in the province which has undoubtedly increased since then.
ENDS
